Tasty Spanish Mackerel Recipes

Tasty Spanish Mackerel Recipes

Spanish mackerel are one of the better tasting fish caught by saltwater anglers on the Carolina coast. Spanish are wonderful on the table, better tasting than their more famous and larger cousins the king mackerel.

Spanish mackerel run in the summer and fall in the Carolinas and are caught off the Jolly Rodger pier in Topsail Island by anglers using Gotcha plugs.

Spanish have firm dark meat which you should not overcook, and they are one of the more oily fatty fish. That is why grilling them is a great option as it withdraws the oil. If you bread them and fry them or bake them quickly the flavor is wonderful.

You can marinate Spanish mackerel fillets in Italian dressing then roll them in a seafood breader, as many Carolina fishermen do for a quick and delicious meal. Spanish mackerel fit well into other grilled, fried and baked recipes though, and it’s worth the time to try them.

Here are some tasty Carolina recipes using Spanish mackerel fillets:

 

Holden Beach Grilled Spanish Mackerel

• 6 large Spanish mackerel fillets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 lemons, sliced
• salt and pepper

Preheat grill on medium heat. Rub both sides of the Spanish mackerel fillets with olive oil and place them skin side down onto the aluminum foil. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper then cover each completely with the lemon slices. Grill until fish just begins to flake, do not flip fillets. Serve immediately, serves 6.

 

Kiawah Beer Battered Spanish Mackerel

• 1 lb Spanish mackerel fillets
• 1 cup Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup beer
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• veggie oil

Marinate Spanish fillets in Italian salad dressing for at least 4 hours. Beat the eggs and mix with butter and beer. Stir in flour. Heat oil on high in deep fat fryer. Dip each fillet in batter and then fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve. Serves 4.

Topsail Island Grilled Spanish Mackerel

• 6 large Spanish mackerel fillets
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 lemons, sliced
• 1 lemon juiced (seeded)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and ground pepper

Set grill to medium heat. Cover the surface of the grill with aluminum foil. Start with six mackerel fillets skin on, rib bones and blood line removed from flesh side of mackerel. Brush both sides of the Spanish fillets with olive oil.

Combine lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl and spoon mixture over flesh side of each fillet and place them skin side down onto the grill. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper and then cover each completely with the lemon slices. Grill until fish just begins to flake, do not flip fillets. Serve immediately. Serves 6.6 large Spanish mackerel fillets

Cheesy Oven-Fried Wilmington Spanish Mackerel

• 2 lbs Spanish mackerel fillets
• 1 cup milk
• I cup dry bread crumbs
• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon salt
• shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Add oregano, garlic powder and salt to crumbs and mix well. Dip Spanish fillets in milk and roll in crumb mixture. Place in a well-greased pan, pad butter on top of each fillet. Bake for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Top fillets with shredded cheese (enough to cover each fillet) 1 minute before the fish is done so it melts over fillets. Serves 4-5.

Oak Island Lemon & Pepper Spanish Mackerel

• 1 lb Spanish mackerel fillets, skin on one side
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1⁄2 cup each chopped onion and red pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1⁄2 tablespoon black pepper
• olive oil

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat and sauté mushrooms, onions, and peppers for 8 minutes. Rub lemon juice on flesh side of Spanish fillets and dash with pepper. Move veggies to the side of the skillet and cook Spanish in the center 10 to 12 minutes until done. Serves 3. Great with wild rice.

Jimmy’s Lime Pepper Spanish Mackerel

This is a recipe I came up for using bluefish, but Spanish are great when cooking it as well.

• 1 1⁄2 lb Spanish mackerel fillets
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon clam juice
• 3 tablespoons butter
• dash hot sauce
• fresh ground pepper
• flour
• salt

Heat cream in stove top pan and add lime juice, simmer but do not boil. Add 1 tablespoon pepper as well as sugar, clam juice, and hot sauce. Mix 2 tablespoons butter and 1 1⁄2 teaspoons flour together and stir them into the sauce to thicken. Blend well, sauce should be smooth.

Meanwhile melt one tablespoon butter in a frying pan. Sprinkle mackerel fillets with salt and pepper and dredge through flour, then cook n frying pan about 8 minute, turning once, until fillets are golden brown. Place Spanish mackerel on plate and top with sauce.